Page 53 of A Dangerous Game (Regency Spies & Secrets 2)

Putting his glass down, Booth remarked, “I didn’t even know that you held Emmeline in high regard.”

“Emmeline and I have always been friends.”

“Yes, but that is a far cry from wanting to marry the girl,” Booth declared.

Oliver picked up his glass. “That may be true,” he said, “but I couldn’t sit back and watch her marry the duke. She would have been miserable.”

“But she would have been a duchess.”

“Not everyone aspires for a lofty title,” Oliver pointed out.

Follett spoke up from the other side of the table. “Leave Radcliff alone,” he said. “He’s made his choice, and now he is saddled with a wife.”

“I wouldn’t consider it saddled,” Oliver responded.

“No?” Follett asked.

Oliver shook his head. “It has been rather nice to have Emmeline around.”

“You are fooling yourself,” Follet stated. “Emmeline will start making demands on your time.”

“I don’t believe that she will. We have come to an understanding.”

Booth huffed. “Women will change the terms of your agreement without any hesitation. They delight in causing havoc in our lives.”

“And how would you know this exactly?” Oliver asked.

Booth tossed back his drink and placed his glass back on the table. “I have watched my brother go through it, and he is miserable because of it.”

“Every marriage is different. Besides, I am at White’s with you, am I not?” Oliver asked, spreading his hands out wide.

“Just wait,” Booth muttered.

Oliver turned his attention towards Haskett, who was sitting next to him. “You have been rather quiet this evening. Is everything all right?”

Haskett leaned forward in his chair with a solemn look on his face. “I am just trying to make sense of what I am being told,” he replied. “You eloped with Miss Lockhart to Gretna Green in the middle of the night, and you truly believe your life won’t change because of your hasty decision?”

“It wasn’t a hasty decision.”

“No?” Haskett asked. “Because you didn’t even inform us of it.”

“I don’t tell you everything.”

Booth chuckled. “You most definitely do not,” he agreed. “You failed to mention that you were considering matrimony.”

“That was intentional,” Oliver said. “We couldn’t risk anyone learning of our plans to elope.”

Haskett grew quiet as a liveried server approached the table and asked, “Would you care for anything else to drink?”

“Another round, if you don’t mind,” Follett ordered.

The server tipped his head in acknowledgement as he left to do their bidding.

Haskett frowned. “I’ve heard that the Duke of Billingham is rather upset that you stole his betrothed out from under his nose.”

“I care little about what the duke thinks,” Oliver declared.

“You should,” Haskett replied. “He is not a man to trifle with.”

---